Repercussions
by lisalulu
Summary: Inspired by previews for next week's episode "Big Nickel".  Disclaimer: No rights to or ownership of Rookie Blue
1. Chapter 1

"You want to be my friend?" Sam asked mockingly, not believing his ears. "Generally speaking, McNally, I'm not usually friends with women I want to see naked."

Andy didn't know what to say, shocked as she was by Sam's honesty. She felt her colour rising.

"I don't see the problem, Sam. Technically, nothing happened - it was a mistake. We stopped before things got out of hand. Can't you just let it go?" she pleaded, almost believing her own press…almost.

She was in damage control mode. It was just so uncomfortable between them since the night of the blackout. She missed her partner…missed the comfort level they had shared…the good natured sarcasm…the unspoken support and understanding. Damn it, she missed Sam.

"Here's the problem, McNally…you're the one who showed up at my door. You needed me. You kissed me. You honestly believe that if the lights hadn't come on, you still would have stopped? You opened the floodgates and now you think that by just closing them there won't be any consequences? Something that powerful leaves a mark, Andy, and trying to put limits on our relationship isn't going to make this thing go away."

"You're still my training officer, Sam. Once we cross that line…" Andy stopped; feeling cornered when Sam backed her up against the cruiser and grabbed her arms, giving her a little shake.

"You think that I don't know that? You think that I don't lie awake at night all twisted up inside, thinking about what it could do to your career?" Sam didn't give a shit about the danger to his own career. He was fairly confident that he was well-respected enough to weather any storm of controversy. "Or even worse…what could happen if we got distracted or I made the wrong choice and something happened to you? Even with all of that, I still can't get what happened out of my head. And after the way you responded in my arms, you're fooling yourself if you think that what's between us could ever stop at just friendship."

Having said his peace, Sam dropped his hands and stepped back, needing some distance.

Andy had been so sure that they could work things out, or at least come to some sort of agreement to put things behind them. She was disappointed to realize that she was wrong. Their emotions were still too close to the surface to try to disregard those few powerful moments in each other's arms.

"Well, can we at least try to let go of the animosity between us until I can be reassigned to another TO? That's what you want, isn't it?" Andy asked accusingly.

She was torn. She had hoped, but knew deep down that it would be almost impossible for them to be just friends, and if their Rookie-TO relationship continued, it was inevitable that they'd end up in bed together – not the wisest choice, even if it was what they both wanted.

"Oh you're not getting reassigned, McNally. You're my rookie and it would be a reflection on me if either one of us requested a transfer." Again, Sam didn't care about what Best would think of him, he was just looking for an excuse to keep Andy close. "We're stuck with each other until your evaluation period is over," Sam replied sardonically.

He was well aware of his conflicting feelings, but still couldn't let her go, even knowing that the next few months as her Training Officer would be the most challenging of his career – and his life.


	2. Chapter 2

They were stuck with each other.

Having both been assigned to pick up a prisoner from Sudbury and transport him back to the Metro Toronto area, Andy and Sam headed down the Gardiner Expressway toward the exit to the 401. Radio chatter was all that filled the cruiser, as both of them were struggling to find something to start a conversation that wasn't loaded with tension.

By the time they were driving up the 400 through Barrie, deeper and deeper into OPP territory, Andy decided enough was enough. She had to say something; otherwise it was going to be a long 4½ hours to the Sudbury Jail.

Andy tested the waters. "How weird is it to be driving in the cruiser, knowing that we have no jurisdiction?" she asked Sam.

"If anything were to happen, all we could do would be to offer assistance. Whether or not it would be accepted…" Sam replied distractedly, settling back into silence.

_That was all she was going to get out of him? _Drastic times called for drastic measures. Knowing that hours of silence loomed ahead of them, Andy took the plunge.

"You know, I hate the way things are between us, Sam," she offered quietly.

"Yeah, well, we all make our choices, McNally," even if he thought the choices she was making were obviously wrong.

"I want you to know, that night…the night of the blackout, I didn't go to your place with the intention of sleeping with you." Andy continued, choosing her words carefully.

_Like she had to clarify what "that night" was! Dear God, don't make him have to rehash it all. _ "We are not having this conversation, McNally." Sam already knew that she regretted that night and wished that he could do the same. Even with all of the tension in their relationship right now, he couldn't bring himself to regret those few minutes together.

Andy continued like Sam hadn't even spoken. "I was just sitting alone at home, replaying everything over and over in my head. It wasn't just _knowing_ that I killed him – seeing his face when I shot him…I was also the _feeling_ when I pulled the trigger. It was all of the panic, the resignation that I felt knowing I had to – that there was no other way. I don't even know if I'm explaining it right…"

Sam looked over at Andy, her eyes distracted as she relived that moment.

"However you felt is the right way to explain things, Andy. Believe me, I've been there…I know what you mean. You don't have to explain–"

"But I do, Sam. Just sitting there, reliving it over and over again…I felt like I was losing myself – like I'd never feel normal…or have any peace, again."

Sam just listened.

"All I could think of was that _Sam understands…he gets it - he'll help me_, and before I knew it, I grabbed my keys and was out the door. I don't even remember how I got to your place. All I knew was that each step was taking me closer and closer to the one person who could help ground me – help me find _me_ again."

Sam nodded, unnecessarily prompting Andy to continue, as her eyes were still focused through the windshield on something in the distance.

"When you opened the door – the look in your eyes…the concern…the caring…the understanding…it made me feel – something other than myself slipping away. You made me _feel_, Sam, and I knew that for however long, you could make it all go away." Andy's eyes came back into focus and settled on her partner.

"And even with all of that, you chose to stop. Why, Andy? Why didn't you just take what you needed…take what I could give you?" Sam asked, even though somewhere deep inside of him, he already knew the answer.

"The lights came on…and what we were doing became…real."

"It was real for me, too, Andy." Sam said softly. Andy's eyes met his briefly before she looked away and continued.

"And then my phone rang…it was Luke." _Things were starting to make sense, now_, Sam thought.

"They were signs, Sam. If the lights' coming on wasn't one, then Luke's phone call had to be."

"That's a load of bullshit, Andy, and you know it. Signs are for people looking for excuses for the choices they make. Signs are for people who can't make their own decisions or trust their gut. You aren't that person, Andy." _Although, in that moment, because of the events of the day, maybe she had been that person. Pretty understandable to be second guessing yourself after taking someone's life, even if it was kill or be killed…even if the guy deserved it. _That thought gave Sam pause.

"We both deserved better than me being there as a reaction, Sam – a reaction to the shooting…a reaction to Luke not being there for me because he was on a case. You deserved better than that."

Although in the days that followed, Sam hadn't done much to deserve much more than Andy's disappointment and resentment – his brush off and sarcasm when she approached him about the Bibby case, the retraining exercise when he went off on Luke the way he did, and in the interrogation room, when he practically told her that he didn't want her for a partner anymore. She had thought their partnership was strong enough to weather the backlash of those 5 powerful minutes. Maybe she was wrong.

Sam asked the question that was bothering him since their discussion that morning. "Where did you get the idea that I wanted to request a different partner, McNally?" _Was he a mind reader now? _Andy looked at him in shock and disbelief. Had he suffered a head injury in the retraining exercise? Could he not remember the words that were a slap in her face?

"In the interrogation room, you said _right now, we're partners. _It sounded like that was the last thing you wanted to be, and that you couldn't wait until I was reassigned. What else was I supposed to think?" she asked, struggling to suppress the hurt in her voice.

"Damn it, Andy! I was just reacting to you siding with your _boyfriend _– right in front of him, I might add. What did I tell you about partners backing each other up?" He didn't add that having said what he did, he had hoped at some point they might be something more.

"Like you backed me up when I tried to talk to you about the Bibby case?" Andy asked accusingly.

"I thought that I'd apologized for that, McNally. What you did took a lot of courage, and I promised myself that no matter what happened or didn't happen between us, that I'd always have your back. You can't keep throwing it in my face every time you have a problem with an argument I bring up."

"Yeah, well, if you're my partner, start acting like it and quit punishing me, just because you don't like the choices I make." Realizing how quickly their discussion was escalating into a full-blown argument, Andy took a deep breath and tried a different approach.

"This tension between us sucks, Sam. You can't tell me that you like it any better than I do. So what do you propose we do about it, if we can't be friends?" Like she said to Traci, things with Sam were complicated, and Andy was struggling to hold on to _simple_ in her life right now. _Simple_ seemed to be slipping though her fingers the more and more this conversation progressed.

"Let's just start working on being partners before we try something crazy like being friends, McNally. Can we just agree on that?" Sam was getting a headache, but still felt that he needed to say the words that she needed to hear.

"At some point, Andy, you're going to need ask yourself why you chose me instead of Callaghan to come to that night. You could have just as easily called him, probably should have if he's your boyfriend. And if he cared about you the way you deserve, he'd drop everything to be with you – to be there _for_ you. You're going to need to think long and hard why that was."


	3. Chapter 3

It wasn't anything that Andy hadn't asked herself a thousand times already – why she chose to go to Sam that night instead of calling Luke. Eventually, Luke would have showed, wouldn't he?

Sam wasn't a fall-back type of guy – he wasn't a consolation prize. Andy knew that. He was too _quality_ for that. Sam was, for lack of a better term, the total package. It's just that the package came with a huge risk factor attached to it. Andy wasn't sure if she was capable of taking that risk.

Oh, but part of her wanted to…desperately.

But the outcome of that couldn't be tied up in a neat package…it couldn't be controlled, because Sam couldn't be controlled. He was all passion and fire…a_ screw the rules_ kind-of-guy who acted on instinct. He was clever and shrewd, and was ruled by his gut. That skill had served him well over time – it rarely steered him wrong.

He was constant in his support of her, Andy thought…well, except for recent events.

That just illustrated her point. When his emotions got the better of him, Sam was unpredictable – he was dangerous. Not that she ever thought he'd hurt her physically, Sam wasn't built like that. But, he was a walking contradiction…one that Andy couldn't help but want to figure out. He was like one of those logic problems that you have to work at from all angles. Just when you think you have the right combination of factors, you realize that you've missed something - it's more complicated than you originally thought and you have to start all over again.

He'd probably say the same thing about her.

He was considered by many to be a _bad boy_, and yet she hadn't ever seen him with another woman who wasn't a fellow officer…except for that run-in with Monica at the station. God, that woman really pissed her off. The way she introduced herself…they territorial way she kept holding Sam's hand that left no doubt that she was well acquainted with his body. She was so _obvious_. And the way Sam listened to her – didn't even question her when she issued the directive that he wait for her to take care of his hand…_Hated her! _Even though Andy knew she had no right to.

He was a great Training Officer – an amazing mentor, even though the last thing he'd ever wanted was to be in charge of a rookie. What he'd initially seen as a punishment had settled into a fairly symbiotic relationship.

He was a man of few words, but said what needed to be said, in such a way that gave Andy pause each and every time. And, damn it, he was almost always right.

He challenged her at every turn, both professionally and personally – an incredibly infuriating trait that frustrated her to no end. He was both exhausting and exhilarating, but she knew that she was a better cop because of him.

He'd proven himself amazingly caring and understanding – a true friend and partner, especially in the wake of the shooting…giving her the space she needed without pressuring her to talk about it, but letting her know that he'd be available when she needed him. He understood that she needed to find her own way through it.

But that was before…

There was so much about her partner that tempted her. He made her want, both emotionally and physically. She could handle the physical want; it was the emotional want that she was struggling with.

A relationship with Sam would be complicated…messy. It wouldn't be easily compartmentalized, if at all. Sam wouldn't allow Andy to hide from him…run from him.

Unlike Luke who was, at best, preoccupied and at worst, absent.

Luke was charming and controlled – Andy had never seen him lose his cool. Sam was cocky, and at times, abrasive, but beneath all of that, laid a hidden gentleness about him.

Whereas Luke was handsome with piercing blue eyes and boyish good looks, Sam was gorgeous – amazingly sexy, with dark, deep-set eyes that saw too much.

Luke was oblivious to some things, or at least he chose not to notice, whereas Sam picked up on every minute detail. He was always watching, most likely because she was his rookie. It was his job to observe the details – gauge her state of mind, her reactions. He was more practiced at it than Luke because he'd had more opportunity.

Sometimes, though, Andy thought that Luke only saw what he wanted to see. He was busy, and didn't have much time to do more than skim the surface, but that was fine with her. She was afraid of what he'd see if he looked too closely.

Andy knew that Luke cared about her. She cared about him, too. He was easy to be around…when he _was_ around, that is. Work was important to him…who was she kidding, work was number one for Luke. He was _the job_.

Maybe it was inevitable for a homicide detective to be consumed by his caseload. But lately it seemed that Luke was more concerned about how a case would benefit his career than about finding closure for the families. Not that he was self-absorbed. He was just…focused.

As long as that focus was on a case, it wouldn't be settling on Andy and her conflicting feelings about her Training Officer.

Now, that theory was blown to hell. All because of a little yellow post-in note in Andy's freezer.

It was probably better this way – things out in the open, although all Luke knew was that she and Sam hadn't slept together. What he didn't know was how deep Andy's feelings ran for her TO. Come to think of it, neither did she.

Which led to the question…why did Andy run to Sam instead of Luke?

So many factors had driven her to seek him out after the shooting. There was no question that the on the night of the blackout, she'd _had_ to run to Sam. She knew that Luke couldn't give her what she'd needed. Sam was the only one.

But because Andy had chosen that night to run _to_ Sam, what made her think that she could ever run _from_ him?


	4. Chapter 4

Friends…Jesus…how was that supposed to work? Never having been friends with a woman before, Sam had no clue. But for McNally, he'd give it a try.

_No promises, mind you._

She was right, though…things had been awkward and uncomfortable between them – even worse than when she busted him…even worse than the day after when they were partnered together, working on the Anton Hill case - the day that everything changed.

How things could change in one short day was a mystery to Sam, but was a testament to the type of cop – the type of woman that Andy was. All the other stuff that had taken place in between that time just clinched it for Sam.

That's why he freaked out on her on her first shift back after the shooting…after what happened between them during the blackout…after her romantic getaway to Callaghan's fishing cabin…_scumbag_.

After what had happened during the transport of Ray Donald Swann, Sam knew that however he arranged it, in whatever capacity, he _had_ to be a part of Andy's life – the life that she'd almost lost at the hands of, unbeknownst to them at that time, a murder suspect.

When he'd seen Andy on the ground with Swann on top of her, his hands over her mouth and around her throat…Christ, he'd almost lost her, and so if he needed to suck it up and try to salvage their relationship by calling it friendship, Sam would do it. He wouldn't like it, though.

What he couldn't get was why she was so adamant about making it work with Callaghan. She obviously had feelings for Sam, but was bound and determined to stick it out with that cheap-suited, boy-wonder of a homicide detective. The guy was a creep…a good cop, but the way he went through rookies…

It was just a matter of time before Andy suffered the same fate as all the rest of Callaghan's conquests. Sam hoped she might clue in before that, but what were the chances? He'd just have to be well-placed when it happened so that he could help her pick up the pieces. She didn't deserve what was surely to come at the hands of Homicide Luke.

At least when Sam was with a woman, she knew exactly where she stood with him…no promises, no strings…it was a mutually beneficial arrangement. If feelings on her side changed, well then that was on her, not him. Not once had he ever let a woman believe that he would give more than what was originally agreed upon. And never, once their arrangement was over, was he ever friends with any of them.

But, McNally was different than any other woman that had come and gone in his life. He was glad that he was able to find a way to ditch the awkwardness between them. To see her smile and hear her laughter was worth a bit of silliness on his part. Sam's confidence was strong enough to survive a bit of derision from a random waitress.

Confidence was never Sam's problem…until now.

Never having been in this position before – wanting a woman who didn't want him_ (well, that wasn't entirely true…she wasn't faking her response on the night of the blackout), _Sam wasn't quite sure what his next move should be.

Sam couldn't believe how easily he opened up to her after they recaptured Swann. That was…unexpected. Maybe he was just testing the waters of this new friendship thing. Maybe because he'd almost lost her, sharing a piece of him wasn't such a stretch. Maybe seeing her happy, even if it was with Callaghan _(scumbag)_, was the most important thing.

So, he'd opened his big frickin' mouth, praising Callaghan's virtues to McNally. And then he couldn't leave well enough alone and had to give Callaghan a verbal shot to the head to make him realize what he'd be losing if he pushed her away.

And so, he wore it – took the blame onto his own shoulders for that night. Callaghan didn't need to know that it was a lie. If being with Callaghan made her happy, then Sam was going to do his damnedest to help things along.

…_Saint Sam…the patron saint of rookies who make bad choices._

And if all else failed, he could always go back to the way things were before she'd tackled him in the alley and turned his life upside down. No attachments. No entanglements. No shades of grey when it came to relationships. Only the job. He could do it...how hard could it be?

Guns & Gangs was looking pretty good about now.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: No rights to or ownership of Tim Hortons (_Timmy's_)

* * *

"Where's McNally?" Sam asked Nash as all the uniforms mustered for Parade.

"I don't know. She was in the locker room, last time I saw her. Do you want me to go check?"

"Never mind. I'll go light a fire under her ass. She's going to be late for Parade." Sam exited the Parade Room and quickly walked down the hall to the women's locker room. Sam paused at the door when he heard Andy's voice.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ouuuch….damn it!"

"McNally! Planning on gracing us with your presence in Parade this morning?" he teased, pushing through the door to the locker room. The sight of Andy with her head cocked to the side at an unnatural angle stopped him short. _What the hell?_

"Don't even, Sam! If you laugh, I swear…"

"Jesus, McNally, what did you do to yourself?" Sam asked, not even trying to keep a straight face as he got a closer look at his rookie and her predicament.

"My hair's caught! I was in such a rush to get ready that I forgot to put my hair up before I put on my vest. Now my hair's caught in the Velcro."

She wasn't kidding. Her hair was nicely wound under the epaulet on her right shoulder and firmly anchored in the Velcro closure. Sam quickly undid her epaulet so that there would be more slack to work with as he carefully started to separate her hair from the hook and loop fastener.

"Be careful, Sam! I'm very attached to my hair!" Andy begged, in a panic.

"Hold still, McNally. If you keep squirming and trying to watch what I'm doing, I'm going to pluck you like a chicken! If you care so much about the hair on your beautiful head, don't move and let me fix it," he told her, exasperated.

"Why the rush this morning? Callaghan keep you up late last night? Had a little sleep-in, did you?" Sam asked dryly, not really wanting to know the answer, but knowing that he had to keep his rookie's mind occupied.

"No, he didn't! If you must know, I was getting coffee for my Training Officer at _Timmy's_." _An angry Andy McNally was better than a whiny Andy McNally, any day_._ " _There was a huge line up, so it took longer than expected. I knew that I was going to be late for parade and when I really started to rush, this is what happened."

"You aren't honestly blaming me for your unfortunate circumstances, are you? Where's my _Timmy's_, by the way?" Sam knew that he was pushing it, especially when Andy's head was struggling to turn in order to give him the "stink-eye". Still, he still couldn't resist turning the screws.

_God, but he was frustrating!_ Andy thought. She almost wished that he hadn't found her. She could have extracted her own hair from the Velcro by looking in the mirror. Now, he'd never let her live this one down.

On the other hand, his face was so close that with the slightest movement, she could rest her cheek against his. She welcomed the rare opportunity to just look at Sam while his attention was focused elsewhere.

He had eyelashes that women would kill for – thick, ink-black, beautiful lashes. She wondered where he got his scar from, but had never felt comfortable asking him and figured it would come up in conversation eventually. God, he smelled good. And his lips…she remembered how those lips felt against hers – against her skin. He was so close. If she just leaned in slightly…

"There, McNally. Good as new, and I didn't pluck you bald. See, don't I have a gentle touch?" he teased with a smile – a smile that quickly slid from his face when he raised his eyes to hers. His eyes traveled from her eyes to her mouth, which was just inches from his – her lips slightly parted. Sam's mouth went dry at the look in Andy's eyes. She was so close…

Their mouths drifted closer, narrowing the gap between them.

"Parade, McNally." Sam's voice was husky - the voice of reason in the room. Sure, everyone was in Parade, but this wasn't going to happen in the women's locker room. All it took was one cop to walk through that door, not to mention that he was afraid that he'd lose himself in the scent of her skin, the taste and feel of her lips. It would almost be worth it, just to taste her one more time…almost.

If and when something happened between them, there would be no questions - no other commitments – no uniforms or detectives on the other side of the door. There would be no interruptions or distractions.

They were both startled by a ringing in Sam's pocket. Quickly reaching for his cell phone to silence the intrusion, he checked his caller ID, thinking it was Shaw getting on his case for missing Parade. _Monica…_

Sam quickly answered, "Hey, can I call you right back?...Yeah, I'm in the middle of something – just finishing up…Okay…yeah, me too. Yeah…Bye."

"Who was that?" Andy asked, knowing she had no right to.

"Uh…it was Monica." Sam answered without meeting her eyes.

"Hmm…what did she want? _Another favour_?" Officer McNally was getting a bit snarky. _Jealous much?_

"Uh, she was just calling to finalize a few details." _Cryptic_.

"Details? What details? We've closed the case on Tamara Quan." Andy replied, confused…and, if truth be told, a bit pissy.

"No, not about Tamara Quan…" _Crap, he was going to have to tell her_. "Monica and I…well, we kind of have a date tonight." _There…he said it._

"A date? I thought you two broke up?" _Calm down, McNally. It's not like you have any claim on him. You're with Luke. Sam deserves to be happy, doesn't he?...even if it's with someone else...even __**her**__…_

"Yeah, we did, but when we saw each other in the hospital…" Sam shrugged, leaving the rest unsaid. Andy didn't need to know that he was already regretting his decision to meet Monica tonight.

Sam knew that it wasn't a good idea to start things up with Monica again, but when they were in the hospital after interviewing Tamara Quan, she'd approached him. Since McNally and Callaghan were still going strong, Sam had a brilliant plan to start moving on with his life. A date would be a move in the right direction, wouldn't it?

But, now that the two of them were within mere inches of each other, and seeing her reaction to their closeness (and being fully aware of his own), he knew that he wasn't ready to pursue anything with anyone who wasn't Andy McNally.

"Hmm…well, enjoy yourself on your _little date_, Sam. I have to get to Parade." Andy turned in a huff, not even sure why she was so angry. That wasn't true. She was fully aware of how ridiculously jealous she was that Monica was going to be the one to experience Sam's lips on hers…his hands on her body…the weight of him pressing her against…_damn it!_

"What's the matter, McNally? Jealous? Do we need to have a chat about sharing your toys?" Sam said, calling her on her attitude, with more than a hint of truth behind his words. He grabbed Andy's arm before she could walk away from him. "Would you stop walking away from me, please?"

"Whatever, Sam. It's your life. It makes no difference to me who you're having sex with." Clearly, it did.

"Who said anything about sex, McNally? It's a _date_. Correct me if I'm wrong, but when _you_ had the chance, you ran away. What's the matter? You don't want to me, but you don't want anyone else to have me either? Jesus, Andy!"

Andy felt strangely possessive of Sam. She knew that she had no right to feel so territorial about him, but feelings were feelings – it was what it was. The way that he always had her back – not just hers, but her dad's, too…the way that he was always there when Luke was too busy…how he had saved her life on more than one occasion…how it had felt so right when she was in his arms that night – everything he had said and done up to that point had made him hers. But really, he wasn't, was he? She'd made sure of that.

"Keep your voice down, Sam. Do you want the whole Division to hear?" Andy said, looking nervously behind her at the door.

Sam was holding both of Andy's arms to keep her from doing what she did best…run scared.

"Unlike you, I don't care what anyone else thinks. Unlike you, what I do care about is my partner - my _friend's_ happiness. Am I just supposed to pick you up and brush you off when Callaghan lets you down, time and time again? Am I just supposed to wait around until you figure out that he isn't the one who can give you what you need?"

"What are you saying, Sam?" Andy wanted to hear Sam say it, not wanting to be the one to put herself on the line. _She was such a coward._

"You know exactly what I'm saying, Andy. You're just playing the safe bet instead of taking a chance at something that's just a little bit scary. You're fighting your gut, McNally, and that makes you your own worst enemy right now." He pulled her up against him, her hands resting on his chest – she knew that she should push him away, but something about the moment made her pause.

Pinning her with his intense dark eyes, Sam played his high card, "Can you honestly look me in the eye and tell me you don't want me the way that I want you?"


	6. Chapter 6

It wasn't like Andy to miss Parade. Once Best said his closing words, "Serve, Protect and have your partner's back," Traci was the first one out the door. Her first thought was to check the women's locker room, but if Andy was there, Sam would have found her…_ Sam would have found her!_

_Oh, crap…she'd better get to them first before another uniform did! Who knows what kind of state they were in, especially with that level of sexual tension between them?_

Andy was so adamant that they were just friends – partners only, but anyone with eyes in their head could see that they were much more than that. Even Luke was realizing it more and more, and was just a little bit panicked. Traci had the suspicion that was why he was being overly demonstrative with Andy when he hadn't ever been before…why he was rushing Andy to move in with him.

Who was she kidding? Andy was rushing Andy into moving in with him. That girl was scrambling for a sense of normalcy, struggling to hold onto safe. Don't get her wrong – Luke Callaghan was _fine_ – tall, fair and handsome…a decent guy, really; but from what Andy had told her, the job always came first. And, with a girl like Andy McNally, Traci knew that wouldn't cut it over the long haul.

Sam, on the other hand, always had Andy's back…even at the expense of his own. He was a true partner in every sense of the word…well, except for the most obvious one, but Andy had come to her senses before they'd put their careers in jeopardy.

Traci had warned Andy off of Sam, but now she wasn't so sure. There was something undeniably strong and real between the two of them…something that hot would boil over eventually, and if Andy was still with Luke - living with him, no less; Andy's _simple_ relationship would come crashing down around her. _Messy_ was just around the corner for Andy McNally.

Traci pushed through the door to the women's locker room, to see Andy in Sam's arms. _Just in time._

Andy's head whipped around and she jumped back and out of Sam's arms, her eyes thanking Traci for the reprieve. Sam, on the other hand, dropped his hands to his sides and glared at Traci, pissed off at the interruption. He was almost positive that he'd had Andy where he wanted her – that she'd finally tell him the truth about how she felt.

"Not the smartest place for this to happen right now, you guys. Parade's over, so you might want to think about continuing this elsewhere…and later. Best wants to see the both of you in his office." Ever the _mom_, Traci chastised the both of them with a look.

Andy turned her head and looked at Sam, her eyes filled with worry.

"Relax, McNally. He's probably just going to bring us up to speed on what we missed. Your friend Nash, here, saved your ass from having to give me a straight answer. Don't worry…you can live in your blue-sky world a little bit longer." Sam threw back at Andy as he walked out of the locker room.

"What the hell, Andy?" Traci exclaimed, her eyes demanding details about the scene she walked in on.

"Thank you _so_ much, Traci. You have no idea what perfect timing you have! Listen, I'll bring you up to speed later. I really should catch up to Sam." A relieved Andy hugged Traci before she followed her partner out the door.

Hurrying to catch up to Sam, Andy fell in beside him down the hall to Best's office. Unsure of how things would be between them, she remained silent.

Thinking back to Andy's comment on getting her _Training Officer_ coffee, Sam thought he should call her attention to one important fact. "You know, McNally, I'm not really your Training Officer anymore, now that your evaluation's complete. Don't get me wrong, you'll still be a Rook for a while, but you're well on your way to becoming a full-fledged Copper."

Relieved that he was still talking to her, Andy teasingly replied, "Thanks to you and the glowing report you gave me. Who knew that Sam Swarek could be so complimentary?"

"Yeah, I'm a real peach." Arriving at Best's office; Sam rapped on the door and pushed it open. "You wanted to see us, Frank?"


	7. Chapter 7

_Two new chapters, people...you'll have to back up for Traci's perspective in Chapter 6. This one's done like dinner - corny but complete. Thanks for your feedback! cheers.  
_

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"Well, we didn't miss much, did we?" Andy turned to Sam in the cruiser.

"What…Parade? No, but sometimes it's just about all the uniforms getting together, whether it's a briefing, a pep talk, or a dressing-down. Sometimes it's just about Best not having to repeat himself. If we're all in one place, then all he has to do is say things once. Makes sense. Just think of it as a family meeting. It's all about shared history – shared experiences. We may not all be friends – hell, we all may not even like each other, but we're all there for the same purpose…we're all there for each other – for the greater good."

That may have been the longest speech Andy had ever heard come out of Sam Swarek's mouth. Staring at his profile, she thought about what he'd said…and what he'd said in the locker room. This man always made her think – made her question her own preconceptions, her own choices. She was a better cop because of Sam – a better person, who saw more of the whole picture because of him.

Continuing to stare silently at Sam, Andy struggled with what she wanted to say.

"You're right."

Sam turned his head to look at his partner. "You'll have to narrow it down a bit, McNally. I'm right about a lot of things," he teased. Sam noted how conflicted Andy looked, her face registering a myriad of emotions. He was going to need to give her some time to get it out.

_Big breath_. "You're right…I do have feelings for you." Andy revealed, meeting Sam's eyes fully. _No hiding, right?_

_Finally_, Sam thought, then eyes forward, carefully steered the cruiser into a parking lot, killing the engine. Removing his seat belt, he turned to look at the woman beside him.

"What feelings, Andy?" he gently prompted.

"Too many," she whispered, finding the words needed to explain, difficult to articulate. "I have never felt closer to anyone in my life than I do you. You are the one constant that I can always count on."

"I'll always be here for you, Andy. Believe that."

"As my _partner_ and my _friend_, Sam, you'll always be here for me. But what if things changed between us – if our relationship changed? What then?"

"If our relationship changed, how?" With Sam's help, she'd get there eventually.

"If I let myself care more for you than as just a friend, Sam, what then? Can you promise me that you'd always be there for me?" Andy steeled herself to look Sam right in the eye. Leaning over to unfasten her seat belt, Sam reached both hands up to cup Andy's face, his thumbs caressing her soft skin.

"You already care for me more than as just a friend, Andy. Remember, after the shooting, you came to me…on the undercover op, it was you who raised your mouth to mine for that kiss. Don't get me wrong, I was definitely a willing participant on both occasions, but the point is this…you and I, we care about each other…we challenge each other and drive each other crazy, but I truly believe that there is something real and honest between us. Look, I can't make any guarantees about the future, but I can promise that you'll always be a priority for me. Always."

Andy was starting to panic about the implications of letting herself feel and the consequences of having to face Luke. "Oh man, things are going to get complicated. I already told Luke that I'd move in with him."

"Why would you do that, McNally, when you're not in love with the guy? Listen, remember at the Mermaid Lounge when you told me that you were terrified? What did I tell you?"

"You said, _of course you are – that's what makes it fun_."

"That's right. It's feeling something that lets you know you're alive and not just going through the motions. I know you're scared – scared to let go of something you think you _should_ want…something that you don't really have to put yourself on the line for. Here's the thing, Andy...you and I put ourselves on the line everyday. We do it knowing that we'll always have each other's backs. Right? How would a relationship between us be any different? We're built to take care of each other – it's what we do. If you can't see that, then I don't know what else I can say to convince you." Sam searched Andy's eyes for some sort of confirmation.

"It's just that if I let myself fall in lo…- if I let myself really care for you, Sam, then you'd have the power to really hurt me. At least with Luke, he could never hurt me like you could." Andy looked down at her hands. Sam reached down to capture them both in his own.

"That power goes both ways, Andy. What do you think that was when you came back to work after the shooting? Why do you think I freaked out? You are just as capable of causing me pain – pain, by the way, that I've felt every single day since you and Callaghan got together. But if a little bit of pain was what it took to be a part of your life…" Sam let the rest of his words die off as he stared into Andy's eyes, his hands stroking hers.

Andy was dumbstruck by Sam's words. She knew he was jealous – let's face it, everyone knew he was jealous when he flattened Luke during retraining, but at the time she thought that it was just ego. It never even occurred to her that Sam had actual _feelings_ for her – real, honest to God, feelings for her.

This man was her partner, her friend, her mentor. Putting her first was something that he just naturally did. He was a reluctant gentleman, never intending to show that side of him, but always doing so…for her. He was built to tempt, to tease, to teach and, most recently, to trust.

He was hers. All she had to do was reach out and take a chance. Looking at the caring she saw in his eyes, how could she not?

"Okay," she whispered.

"Okay what, McNally?" Sam prompted. If they were going to do this, Andy had to be all in.

"I want to be with you, Sam. Whatever happens…whatever the future holds." She reached out her hand to cup Sam's face – stroke his cheek.

Sam's hand covered hers. "Are you sure, Andy? 'Cause if you aren't, there's no way this is going to work. You're flying without a net, here, McNally. You have to really want this – want me," Sam said, searching her eyes.

"I do, Sam. I've never wanted anything more." Andy replied, her eyes confirming her words.

"Okay then. Good, bad or ugly, we're in this together." _She was finally his_. Sam cupped Andy's face in his hands and softly brushed his lips against hers, his tongue lazily playing with hers. Her soft sighs pushed him over the edge and Sam dragged Andy against him and kissed her with six-months-worth of pent up passion.

"Did you want me to call Monica to let her know that your date's canceled?" Andy smiled against Sam's lips.


End file.
